Locking spindle for a tube winding machine



Jan. 21, 1964 c. H. SHANKS 3,118,526

LOCKING spmnu: FOR A TUBE WINDING MACHINE Filed July 30, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 1 lb :7 I4 4 3 K g c. H. SHAN KS 3,1 18,626

LOCKING SPINDLE FOR A TUBE WINDING MACHINE Jan. 21, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed July 30, 1962 United States Patent 1 3,118,626 LOCKING SPIWDLEFDR A TUBE WINDHJG MACHINE Cecil H. Shanks, iasgow, Va, assignor toJames Lees and Sons Company, Bridgeport, Pa., a corporation of DelawareFiled July 30, 1962, Ser. No. 213,497 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-18) Thisinvention relates to textile yarn winding equipment and moreparticularly to an automatic device for locking the spindle to the tubewhen installed on a winding machine.

On machines for winding yarn packages such as cakes or cheeses, it hasheretofore been necessary for the tube on which the yarn cake is woundto be manually secured to the spindle of the yarn winding machine. Thisoperation is time consuming and always requires the presence of theoperator.

The present invention incorporates an automatic locking device forsecurely attaching the tube to the spindle of the yarn winding machinewhich, for example, may be a winding machine of the type known in thetrade as the Foster 77.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an automaticexpanding collet for the spindle of a yarn winding machine whichtightens the tube on the spindle when the winding assembly is dropped,and conversely which releases the collet from the spindle when thespindle assembly is raised.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shaft extendingthrough the spindle of a tube winding machine, said shaft being providedwith a pair of spaced limit stops at one end and a collet on the otherend adjacent the split end of the spindle.

Further objects will be apparent from specification and drawings inwhich FIG. 1 is a side view of the winding head of a yarn windingmachine such as the Foster 77, for incorporating the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the spindle assembly in the raisedor doffing position,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the spindle of FIG. 1 with the expandingcollet tightened to maintain the tube on the spindle,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the spindle of FIG. 2 in which thespindle is raised to the dofling position, thereby releasing the collet,

FIG. 5 is a perspective showing the collet end of the spindle inreleased position, and

FIG. 6 is an end view of the structure of FIG. 3.

The invention comprises essentially the provision of a slotted bracketsecured to the frame of a tube winding machine in such a position thatthe slot in the bracket is in general alignment with the axis of thespindle of the winder. A shaft extends through the hollow spindle and isprovided with a collet at its outboard end (front of the windingmachine), and at the other end a pair of adjustable limit stops aremounted on the shaft on either side of the slotted bracket so that whenthe spindle assembly is lowered, the bracket pulls the shaft axiallythrough the spindle to cause the collet to expand the slotted outer endof the spindle and thereby retain the tube on the spindle. In thedofiing position the second limit stop strikes the front face of theslotted bracket to urge the shaft in the opposite direction, thusreleasing the collet and permitting the spindle to contract.

A winding machine of the type well known in the art has a plurality ofspinning heads or assemblies mounted on a main frame shown partially at10. Such a winding machine ordinarily has 12 or more spinning assemblieson a single frame. The assembly includes a traverse mechanism 11 whichcontrols an oscillating yarn guide 12 3,118,626 Patented Jan. 21, 1954mounted on arm 13. The spindle 14 is journaled in a housing 15 anddriven by means of a pulley 16 from a belt (not shown) driven from themain shaft and motor of the winding machine. A tube 17, which ordinarilycomprises a cardboard cylinder, is fastened on the outboard end of thespindle 14 by means of a collet 20 which is drawn into the split ends ofthe spindle to expand them against the bore of the tube 17. Suchexpansion of the spindle on a winding machine is conventional but thecollet must be returned into the spindle by hand to effect properexpansion thereof. Instead of this manual expansion of the collet, Iprovide a shaft 21 which extends into here 22 of the spindle and througha slot 23 in an angle bracket 24 mounted on frame 10 by means of bolts25, 25. The shaft 21 is relieved at 26 to provide free sliding movementin the bore 22 of spindle 14 and the shaft is also threaded into thebore of collet 20. An enlarged diameter 21a of the shaft 21 maintainsthe shaft in proper concentric alignment with the back portion of thespindle 14 as shown at 27 in FIG. 3. The locking limit stop or collar 28is secured to the shaft 14 by means of a set screw 29 and is providedwith thrust bearing 30 which bears against the back face of bracket 24to prevent undesired wear between the bracket and the limit stop 28. Thefront face of bracket 24 is beveled or tapered as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4so that when the winding head is pivoted upwardly on hinge (FIG. 1) tothe position of FIG. 2 the limit stop 36 strikes the beveled face of thebracket 24 to move shaft 14 axially in the bore of spindle 14, thusreleasing the collet 20 from contact with the end of the spindle. Limitstop 36 is adjustable on the shaft by means of a set screw 37. In thewinding position of FIG. 1, the yarn Y is carried over the yarn guide 12and around the tube 17 across which it is traversed back and forth toform a conventional yarn package or cheese. It will be apparent thatwhen the yarn package is complete and the assembly automatically tiltsor pivots to the stop position of FIG. 2, the yarn package can bereleased simply by the operators sliding it from the end of the spindlewithout any other manipulation. It is then only necessary to insert anempty yarn tube on the spindle, lace up the yarn and drop the assemblyto achieve the complete doffing operation.

The invention is extremely simple and inexpensive, yet saves substantialdofling time and furthermore is important in preventing damage to thespindle caused by too tight manual expansion of the collet and spindle.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim:

1. In yarn winding apparatus having a pivotal yarn winding head movablefrom a winding position to a doffing position, a spindle journaled insaid yarn winding head, means for locking said spindle in a yarn tubeand a yarn traverse mechanism on said pivotal head, the subcombinationwhich comprises a shaft slidable axially in the bore fo the spindle,means on one end of said shaft for setting and releasing the lockingmeans, and a non pivotal stationary member cooperating with the otherend of the shaft for axially positioning the shaft in the spindle to setthe locking means when the winding head is in the winding position andto release the locking means when the winding head is pivoted to thedoffing position.

2. An automatic locking device for textile winding machines and the likecomprising a winding sub-assembly having a pivotal frame movable from awinding position to a dofiing position, a hollow spindle journaled onsaid pivoting frame, a yarn traverse mechanism on said pivotai frame,means for turning said spindle, a shaft movable axially in said spindle,a tapered collet secured to one end of said shaft, an expandable endportion on the spindle actuated by the collet for receiving and lookinga yarn 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in Which the 10 4. meanson the shaft cooperating with the bracket comprises a pair of spacedcollars secured to the shaft, and a thrust bearing positioned betweenone of said collars and the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McKeanNov. 1, 1927 Gutermann July 3, 1956

1. IN YARN WINDING APPARATUS HAVING A PIVOTAL YARN WINDING HEAD MOVABLEFROM A WINDING POSITION TO A DOFFING POSITION, A SPINDLE JOURNALED INSAID YARN WINDING HEAD, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID SPINDLE IN A YARN TUBEAND A YARN TRAVERSE MECHANISM ON SAID PIVOTAL HEAD, THE SUBCOMBINATIONWHICH COMPRISES A SHAFT SLIDABLE AXIALLY IN THE BORE FO THE SPINDLE,MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID SHAFT FOR SETTING AND RELEASING THE LOCKINGMEANS, AND A NONPIVOTAL STATIONARY MEMBER COOPERATING WITH THE OTHER ENDOF THE SHAFT FOR AXIALLY POSITIONING THE SHAFT IN THE SPINDLE TO SET THELOCKING MEANS WHEN THE WINDING HEAD IS IN THE WINDING POSITION AND TORELEASE THE LOCKING MEANS WHEN THE WINDING HEAD IS PIVOTED TO THEDOFFING POSITION.